My tone after removing volume and tone pots

[barnesjd]

As out lined in this thread, I bought a 2000 SG-1 for $300 bucks with the intention of stripping out the pots and rewiring the coil-tap switch to be a kill switch. I was warned that it would be bright and hot. Indeed it was bright when I had my Bill Lawrence L-500XL in there (for sale or for trade, btw), I pulled my Tom Anderson HN3+ out of my SG Special and dropped it into the SG-1, and holy crap that thing sizzles! I absolutely love it. It is noticeably brighter than it was in the Special (despite the Special having an ebony FB and the SG-1 having rosewood). However, it's not ice-picky or harsh. It's just more treble and more in your face. I love how there's more treble no matter where I'm at on the fretboard, so it really sounds even more high-fi than before. The HN3+ is already a beast of a pup, and I'm really enjoying how this straight-to-the-jack wiring is opening it up.

Has anyone else done this and loved it?

 

[Badronald]

A guitar with no volume pot would be useless to me.

I'm sure it sounds good, but I can't think of one song I've played in years that I didn't manipulate the volume pot on. Even heavy songs.

If you can make it work, cool.

 

[sixstringking713]

I do not own one instrument that still has a tone pot. Havent tried getting rid of the volume pot yet though.. I believe it'd be too bright and inconvenient. Thought about doing it on my bass though since it's pretty much either on/off unlike when I play guitar I tend to use the volume knob a lot for dynamics and changing the amt of distortion.

 

[Badronald]

I guess you could use a volume pedal but that seems kind of silly.

 

[bulletproof_funk]

I played a Yamaha RGX (early 2000s) with a blower switch that bypasses the volume pot and tone cap, sounds way too bright for me, depends how hi-fi your amp is to begin with. If that's what your after then a blower switch might be a good mod to add. I have an early 90s RGX that has a switch to engage the bridge pup full volume but with the tone cap in the circuit so it rolls off the highs as normal. The volume pot or tone cap might be too high in value as that guitar sounds way too bright through my Colossus.

 

[reverymike]

I'm sure you probably know this, but this is something producer, Michael Wagner, did with his recording guitars. Wired direct, with no volume or tone pots (I guess to get the most tone to tape without anything in between).

 

[barnesjd]

I guess you could use a volume pedal but that seems kind of silly.

That's actually my plan. I'm more comfortable working my foot than trying to roll the volume knob.

 

[barnesjd]

I'm sure you probably know this, but this is something producer, Michael Wagner, did with his recording guitars. Wired direct, with no volume or tone pots (I guess to get the most tone to tape without anything in between).

No, I didn't. That's interesting. BTW, I should mention that I have the young kids (the youngest in my avatar), so I rarely get out and play with anyone. I don't have to worry much about dynamics and such. And don't get me wrong, the pots are very handy and I plan for my other guitars to have 'em. I just thought it would be a load of fun to have this simple rocker.

 

[barnesjd]

I played a Yamaha RGX (early 2000s) with a blower switch that bypasses the volume pot and tone cap (...)

I came very close to this, actually. Someone in my thread asking how to do the wiring in the first place made that suggestion. It actually makes far more sense than what I did, but I just had it stuck in my head that this particular guitar was going to be RAW.

 

[barnesjd]

For your viewing pleasure...

Oh and another thing. I got the idea from Nikki Sixx's signature Gibson Blackbird. It has two pickups but only a kill switch.

 

[soc_monki]

i usually remove tone pots from most guitars...i just have no use for them. i would rather have 2 volumes! ive always noticed that there is a difference in tone without tone pots, but never went so far as to take out a volume. some guitars however i leave alone...my M1000 sounds great as-is, and i dont want to mess up the electronics by ripping it apart! same with my Hellraiser. although if i removed the tone pot of the Hellraiser it would brighten it up a tad, but the tone is pretty thick and defined as it is, so i dont want to mess with that either! my Alexi has an EMG 81 in it, just a volume, and it is HOT! i really need to rewire it though, its got a little buzz that seems to be a ground issue, but its slight. although that might just be a case of its an EMG 81 with just a volume control...ive never done that before, usually i have 2 controls which do bleed off a little output/top end. so maybe thats just the way it will be.

i may try this one day though...just for the hell of it. seems like a fun project!

 

[JimmyBlind]

I've got a 'blower switch' in my Suhr Modern. There's a definite difference in high-end between the volume & tone pots on full & the pickup going straight to the output jack. I don't use it very often. It's more of a safety net than anything in case my pedal board or footswitch were to ever go tits-up halfway through a set.

It's not a setting I particularly enjoy. For me, there's always a sweet spot in the tone settings. Pretty much just at the point where the high end makes itself known.

 

[rupe]

As a gigging guitarist, I need my volume and tone pots for most material. I have several guitars with no tone pots but those ones are mostly used for classic metal/hard rock where it isn't as important. Pickups are designed/voiced with the pots in mind so I don't really see that eliminating them is of any great advantage. Want more output and/or a different fundamental tone? My opinion is to get a different pickup that meets your needs and keep the guitar more functional with it's electronics in tact.

 

[barnesjd]

(...) Want more output and/or a different fundamental tone? My opinion is to get a different pickup that meets your needs and keep the guitar more functional with it's electronics in tact.

....

Without pots, these go to eleven.

 

[bmi]

I remove both pots because i don't gig.
By the way you can keep your tone pot in the loop and disengage it as you want by doing a no load pot.

 

[robertkoa]

I once had an H-S-H BC Rich that had 3 , 3 Way Toggles so there were two modes for each pickup plus "off".

At one point I had the single coil straight to output, jack for punch , bandwith.

So you can have a switch bypass your volume , tone pots but still have them available.

 

[barnesjd]

(...)So you can have a switch bypass your volume , tone pots but still have them available.

I'm giving this idea much more thought. The bypass could be like a lead boost.

 

[robertkoa]

(...)So you can have a switch bypass your volume , tone pots but still have them available.

I'm giving this idea much more thought. The bypass could be like a lead boost.

Yes, it's kind of a "bandwidth boost " also , all the frequencies and rawness of the PU come ripping through, when you do it on one pickup , it can add.definition and clarity to the others if you have 2 or 3 pickups on at once with tone rolled down on the others etc.

AKA "Blower" switch, depending on how it's wired.